Fragipan Remediation

The fragipan is a naturally occurring soil horizon that virtually stops water movement and root growth through the soil. Its' depth averages about 20]24 inches in the soil types in which it occurs. The layer is due to the cementation of the soil particles with a silicate rich amorphous aluminosilicate binding agent. The fragipan is present in about 2.7 million acres of Kentucky soils and about 50 million acres in the U.S. Fragipan soils reduce yields of crops for 2 reasons: 1) limited water holding capacity due to limited soil depth 2) water saturated soil conditions during wet periods. The fragipan itself is a silt loam soil that has been cemented. If the cementation is dissolved, the released soil particles can begin functioning as a productive soil again. The goal of this project is to try to dissolve the cementation and make a deeper soil that will hold more water for summer growing crops and reduce waterlogging in the winter which would make the soil better suited for winter crops and better support trafficking at this time of the year.